Celebrating our newest WOL Coach: Stacey Roques
Our first Coach in Canada!
I first met Stacey when she was in a global WOL Circle in one of our community programs, more than five years ago. We’ve stayed in touch since.
Stacey has a rare combination of being a healthcare professional as well as certified by the International Coaching Federation. Her career “spans roles from bedside to the boardroom, with a consistent focus on building capacity in people and systems.”
Now she runs her own leadership development company focused on helping leaders in healthcare. Because “more supported leaders = better care = better health for all.
Why WOL? Because the positive impact of her first Circle stayed with her, and now she’s ready to use the different WOL methods to help her clients.
“Working Out Loud offered a simple, accessible way to navigate a goal which I thought was insurmountable and made it tangible and doable. I look forward to using the power of WOL circles to help people connect, contribute, and move forward together.”
I have great respect for the people who work in healthcare. And so I’m especially excited for Stacey to join our WOL Coach community, and to see all she can do with WOL.
Note: For each new WOL Coach, I ask three questions so you can get to know them and their reasons for becoming a Coach. See Stacey’s answers below. You can also visit her WOL Coach profile on workingoutloud.com, or connect with her on LinkedIn or at www.straightupleadership.ca.
1. Please share 5 facts about you so people get to know you.
I thrive in complex systems. I’ve spent 25 years in healthcare across many roles and sectors, and I genuinely love the complexity. The shifting, interconnected parts, the teamwork, the community, and the chance to make a real difference in people’s lives, is where I get my energy and where I do my best work
I consider coaching to be "jet-fuel." I found coaching while designing a management orientation program for a large healthcare system. Leaders loved the program, but a few weeks later none of the ideas had made it into practice. That gap between learning and doing is what led me to coaching. I have seen firsthand the impact it has on individuals, teams, and groups.
Community building matters. After years of living away from family and watching life become more digital, I’ve come to value real‑world connection. My experiences supporting leaders, learners, and people needing care have reinforced how essential inclusive communities are to our overall health.
Working with dogs has taught me a lot. Working with dogs has taught me a different kind of patience and communication. Volunteering with Elderdog and service‑dog organizations has shown me how much animals contribute to people’s wellbeing. And living with dogs of my own, each with their own personalities and needs, has pushed me to be more observant and match their pace rather than push ahead. There are definitely parallels here for the work world!
Learning is part of how I work. I’m curious by nature. I like understanding how things work, why people do what they do, and what sits underneath the surface of a problem. That curiosity shows up in my work, my coaching, and the way I interact with the world around me.
2. What positive difference do you aspire to make?
When we step on a WOL call, we talk about changing the world! And although I never say it quite as boldly, I do what I do to help make healthcare better. My basic belief is that when we support healthcare leaders, we create conditions for others to do their best work. More supported leaders = better care = better health for all.
I typically work with healthcare leaders in community-based settings who oversee other managers and could use support with team development. I focus on making steps forward feel doable and sustainable in a work world that feels pressured and intense.
3. Why WOL?
I became a fan of Working Out Loud after experiencing the power of community firsthand in my first circle in 2021. The combination of visibility, generosity, peer coaching, and shared learning accelerated my own growth. Working Out Loud offered a simple, accessible way to navigate a goal which I thought was insurmountable and made it tangible and doable. I look forward to using the power of WOL circles to help people connect, contribute, and move forward together.
